Leyla was on one knee. One of her arms was totally wrecked. She gasped and gasped for air. The kraken was still standing tall. A giant cut ran across its chest, and blue blood seeped out in great amounts. Its tentacles gathered midair and pointed at Leyla.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCnv3zRYvCX
With effort, she rose back to her feet. She was in a dire situation—yet her smile was bright.
‘Seems that’s it! I’ll have to drag it into my shadow and seal it there. This means I will never… see my son again!’
She raised her head and let out a cry, freeing herself of any mixed emotions.29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNTZVYQwIM
‘I will do it. I will do it! YES!’
Suddenly, the tentacles exploded—one by one. Behind some buildings and even on the rooftops, people appeared. It was Leyla’s clan. Leading them was Sark—her son.
‘Did you miss me, Mom?’
‘You idiot!’
‘You also came for me. Seems like we’re both idiots! And now let’s destroy that monster!’
In the White House
From outside, it looked as always—but inside, it was much bigger than it seemed. Endless corridors, rooms like a maze.
Larah stopped before a door. The red light shining from behind it was enough proof that something weird was inside. She opened it just a little—only her head entered—and already, she broke into tears.
Also in the White House
‘I know it’s a bad idea, but we must part here!’, Dean said. ‘I’ll go look for Larah and the altar. You both look for the president’s room. Of course, if you find the altar first, take care of it!’
‘Wow, brother! Is it the hair, or why are you back to your old self?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘In the past you were just like that! Then you turned timid, weak… I didn’t like it. Must be Larah!’
‘Yes. I really love her.’
‘Then go and find her!’
They parted ways. Dean went right, while Dae and Sarah went left. It didn’t take long before the two fell into a chat. Dae started:
‘Either the demons and angels kill us or the nukes wipe us out. I like the odds.’
‘Or we stop them. Both!’
‘How? I get the bombs, but the altar? We’d need massive firepower. The nukes could do it—but America would be history. If it comes to that, will you be able to live with it? Plenty of people still hide here. You’d condemn them with that decision.’
‘Damn… since this whole shit started, I’ve had no rest. We’ll find a solution for everything in the end.’
Also in the White House
Larah was on the ground. Her face pale, her tears falling freely. Before her lay Hope, on the altar. A dagger was buried in her chest. Blood flowed through the cracks in the stone into the sea in which the altar stood. The water had turned slightly red. And while the blood was on the altar, it glowed.
Hope was dead.
Outside
Together, they had managed to defeat most enemies. But there was no time to celebrate.
From the cracks in the heavens, two figures shot down and landed before the group. One was a woman—white as snow, just like the four wings protruding from each side of her back. She wore a golden dress that clung to her full figure. Her eyes shone a powerful gold with a yellow glint.
The man next to her was black as onyx. His skin resembled stone with glowing violet cracks. Two horns curved back from his forehead, their tips glowing violet. He wore only baggy jeans.
They looked dangerous—but their atmosphere was strangely serene.
(Glacia: We are doomed!)29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPw1gP5olc
(Zahira: We are fucked! Really fucked!)
‘Nice to meet you, Seraphina,’ the woman said. Her voice was stunning—no human could ever imitate it.
‘Do you know where my daughter is?’
‘No, my Queen!’
‘Oh, you still call me Queen?’
‘There were… problems in the past. But you are still the Queen.’
‘And what is my daughter then?’
‘She is your daughter, which would make her successor one day.’
‘Wrong! She is a traitor! I’ll ask one last time. Where is she? Tell me—or face the consequences!’
‘Then I shall face them.’
‘Playing brave, huh? So be it!’
In the next moment, no one in the group could move.
‘I hope you haven’t forgotten my ability—total control.’
Inside the White House
Time seemed to flow differently here. Sarah and Dae had been walking for a while. At their next turn, they spotted Voltra. He stood in the center of a massive room—no furniture, no lights. Just a square platform, darker than the rest, elevated in the middle.
‘President. I see a door behind him. Go—I’ve got something to settle with him!’
He stepped into the field. Sarah dashed to the door.
‘My master told me you were the one who turned him into a ghoul!’
‘Yes! It was so much fun! Are you angry? Want revenge because you were his student? Sorry—were! Hahaha!’
‘How can I be angry… at a corpse?’
‘You bastard!’
Somewhere else
Dean took the left path at the next intersection. That’s when he spotted Larah.
He called out to her, but she didn’t react. She was crouched on the ground, holding something. Slowly, Dean approached her from behind.
When he was close enough, Larah turned around.
Her eyes had turned black and violet. But just like Michaela, her eye colors were reversed. She displayed Hope—and closed her eyes.
When she opened them again, she grunted:29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfIW5qWDPIT
‘This world will burn.’29Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj9onyLkDXv
